What is Fire Retardant?
You may see or hear Plantworks products described as being “fire retardant” and wonder what that means. Just as we give added UV rated protection to our artificial plants and trees against the sun’s harmful rays, we also install fire retardant to protect against another destructive element. Fire retardant acts as a type of insurance policy to protect your artificial plants, shrubs and trees against fire. Fire retardants delay or stop fire’s damage. Plantworks is a certified fire retardant applicator. We provide fire retardant artificial foliage for commercial landscaping projects. In nature, certain types of live plants are considered fire retardant to protect homes and structures against wildfires. These plants include: Manzanita, Iris, French lavender, European olive and Verbena. Plants that are considered more of a fire hazard include: Fir, Hemlock, Japanese honeysuckle and the Blue Gum tree, among others. In geographic regions prone to dry conditions and seasonal wildfires, such as
Almost any material can be treated with fire retardant solution to make it less combustible and harder to burn. Fire retardant sprays and additives are available for virtually any surface including fabrics, wood, electronic components, and paper. Fire retardant products are widely used to make a variety of goods less likely to burn. Fire retardant materials are often used in the construction of skyscrapers and hotels. They can be added to paint, applied to furniture, and incorporated into mattresses. Some building codes require their use. Fire retardants can work by forming a protective non-flammable layer around an otherwise combustible material physically preventing it from igniting. They also work by responding to extreme heat with a chemical reaction releasing water vapors to dilute combustible gases. Diluting flammable gases can act to prevent a fire from igniting or slow the burn rate of an existing one. They can also create a layer of carbon char when something is burning. Carbo
